Almost a Fairy Tale
by Lyn Dulce
Summary: Young Amelia and Rory go too far into the woods, and find something almost magical.


_Title: Almost a Fairy Tale_

_Summary: Amelia and Rory wander a little too far off the forest path and find something magical._

_Disclaimer: I don't own DW  
_

_AN/Warnings: Written for girlsavesboyfic on LJ  
_

"Amelia! Wait!"

"Come on! I know you can run faster than that Rory!"

"Come back! We're going to get lost."

Amelia just laughed and ran further into the woods.

"Amelia!" Rory had no choice but to follow Amelia, just like always.

They ran deeper into the forest, now farther from the path than they had ever been before. Rory was terrified. They would never be able to find their way home now. They'd have to build a house in the woods and eat rabbits. He clung to Amelia, brave Amelia, and noticed that she had started to look a little scared too. They were truly lost now.

When they began to feel like they could walk no farther, and the sky was beginning to darken, they spotted something ahead. A light. Rory felt elated. A light meant people, and people meant safety. His heart felt light as he sped towards it. But Amelia held back.

"Come on," Rory pleaded, "Everything's going to be fine."

"No. something's not right..."

"What's not right? We'll be able to go home and not have to eat rabbits!"

"Rabbits? Rory..."

He turned and smiled at her, and she smiled back a little, still unsure. They continued together toward the light, still tired, and Rory felt less secure about the safety of their destination. Amelia was rarely wrong, and when she was wrong, she would change things around so she became right. He really hoped this was one time she was absolutely wrong, because the alternative to that was just too horrible.

As they got closer, the light grew brighter. They were able now to see all the different colours bouncing off of the bright leaves. Pinks and greens and yellows turned the meadow ahead into something magical. But they couldn't see anyone or anything that could make the light until they had taken a few steps out of the safety of the trees.

Then, they saw something completely unearthly. A person who wasn't a person. Someone tall and graceful, who floated in the air as if he was underwater. The eerie light that had guided their way came from his skin, or maybe something deeper inside him than that. His hair wasn't hair, but a proper extension of his body, giving off the same light. He turned towards them, his otherworldly face blank, but somehow kind. Music began to come from him, though his mouth didn't open. In fact, Rory wasn't even sure he had a mouth. The music was nothing like anything Rory had heard around Leadworth, but almost like the old-time music Mrs. Finney liked to play when she babysat Rory. Entranced, he stepped closer to the person.

The beautiful music abruptly became a horrible screeching sound, and the persons face turned horrifying. The lights lost their cheerful glow and turned to harsh reds and blues. The creature started to float towards them. Rory wanted to run, he just wanted to go home, but Amelia held on to his hand.

"Listen," she said, "Can't you hear him?"

"It's horrible!" he said, "Let's go home now, please Amelia."

"You're not listening!" And now she was mad at him. Things never went well when Amelia was mad at him. "You've got to listen better Rory, otherwise you're no better than the grownups."

Rory tried to listen, he really did. "Amelia, I don't - "

She turned to him, and took his face in her hands, "Close your eyes. Now focus. But don't focus on the sounds, focus on what's _behind_ the sound."

He listened, and didn't listen, and tried to only half-listen, and thought he nearly understood. The screeching had turned back to the lovely music, but he didn't dare open his eyes to see if the person had changed back unless Amelia told him to.

"Good, Rory, you're getting it!" He may have blushed a little at her praise. "Keep focusing."

He kept listening, and the music started to shift again. Not to words, but he could sense a feeling from it. Sadness, and loneliness.

"You're lost too," Rory said, "Just like us."

"Exactly!" Amelia took her hands away from his face, and he opened his eyes. She looked delighted. "We've got to help him get home."

"How are we supposed to do that? We don't know how we're going to get home, and we don't even know where he lives."

Amelia took his hand, and led him to the person.

"Tell us how we can help."

The person held out his hand, and Amelia reached out to meet it. Rory tightened his grip on her hand, and she squeezed back. When her other hand made contact with the person, something electric ran through them. Everything changed then. The vague feeling that came from the music became something more. Rory closed his eyes, and he could see pictures that the person was transmitting to them. The stars raced past his eyes and they traveled to a planet that was shimmering with the same light that filled the meadow. They flew even further down, to the surface of the planet. The music echoed and amplified inside their heads. Emotions swirled inside them and around them and Rory couldn't quite understand how this would help him get home. Then he spoke.

"This is where I live," he said. His voice was light and unreal and it echoed inside Rory's head. "My home. I can't return by myself."

"Why not?" Amelia asked, "How can we help?"

"I am weak. I have traveled too far and too long. I cannot return on my own. I need help."

"What do you need?" asked Rory.

"I need faith. I need you to believe that I can get back. I need you to believe with all your hearts. Can you do that? Please..."

"I believe," said Amelia.

"Me too."

"Keep believing, and I'll be gone..."

The images faded away, and they were left alone in the meadow.

"Can we go home now Amelia? If I'm out too late again, Mum'll be mad."

"Oh, all right. But only if we can do Raggedy Doctor tomorrow!"

"Whatever you want," Rory said.

Amelia picked up her paper and crayons, took Rory by the hand and led him out of the meadow, safely home.


End file.
